Starknet Launches Governance Vote on Potential Transition From Ethereum to Independent Layer-1 Blockchain

Starknet initiated a seven-day community governance vote on October 15, 2026, to evaluate researching a transition from an Ethereum Layer 2 to an independent, quantum-resistant Layer 1 blockchain. The non-binding proposal aims to grant network autonomy over security upgrades while retaining the STRK token and active Ethereum bridges. News of the shift previously drove STRK's market capitalization from $360 million to $807 million over four days, outperforming Ethereum as ETH fell 5.1%. However, the potential exit prompted prediction markets to lower probabilities for Ethereum hitting October upside price targets.